High-speed data transfer in a networked server environment via laser communication

ABSTRACT

A system and method are provided for accelerating data transfer between networked databases. First provided are a plurality of databases coupled by a network. At least one laser unit is coupled to each database. In operation, such laser units are capable of communicating data between the databases via free space by way of a laser beam. This allows data communication at a rate faster than that which the network is capable.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/176,138 filed Jan. 14, 2000, now abandonedincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to data communication and moreparticularly to data communication between networked servers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the recent past, there has been a vast increase in the amounts ofdata transferred over networks. One of the primary reasons for suchincreased communication of data is the presence of larger, new andimproved networks with the ability to transfer data at high transmissionrates. One example of a network where data is being communication at anever increasing rate is the Internet.

The Internet and other wide area networks commonly include a pluralityof databases, or servers, which are connected by way of a system ofcommunication lines. Such communication lines are traditionallyconstructed from a metallic, fiber optic, or likewise material to afford“hard-line” communication. In operation, users often access one of theservers in order to communicate data to another one of the servers whichmay be accessed by another user.

With the increasing popularity of the Internet, there has been asignificant rise in demand for access to servers. This demand, in turn,has prompted the construction of large warehouses of servers (e.g.co-location facilities such as those provided by Exodus Corporation,UUNET, and others) which are connected to servers outside the buildingstructure by way of the Internet, and connected to the remaining serversvia a local area network (LAN) such as an Ethernet.

Prior art FIG. 1 illustrates a warehouse 100 with a plurality ofinterconnected servers 102. Communication between the servers 102 withinthe warehouse 100 is supported by a local area network 104, i.e.Ethernet, and a router 106. Such router 106 directs data received fromone of the servers 102 to another one of the servers 102 by way ofeither the Internet 108 or the local area network 104.

The router 106 is often incapable of instantly directing data to aserver 102 upon the receipt thereof. This results in an unacceptablelatency, or a delay, during data trafficking between the networkedservers. This delay has in the past been dwarfed by the delay associatedwith data transfer between a client computer of a user and a server.Such connections to the servers, however, are exhibiting faster andfaster data transfer rates. This trend is rendering the delay betweenthe network servers to be a significant “bottleneck.”

There is thus a need for a system and method for providing an alternatedata communication medium among networked databases that is capable ofalleviating such delay, especially among networked databases in a singlebuilding structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system and method are provided for accelerating data transfer betweennetworked databases or “servers.” First provided are a plurality ofdatabases coupled by a network. At least one laser unit is coupled toeach database. In operation, such laser units are capable ofcommunicating data between the databases via free space by way of alaser beam. This allows data communication at a rate faster than thatwhich the network is capable.

In one embodiment, the network includes a router and an Ethernet, andeach laser unit includes a transmitter and a receiver. Further, eachlaser unit may be mounted on the associated database such that the laserunits are capable of moving, for example, with two or three degrees ofrotational freedom. As an option, a plurality of laser units are mountedon each of the databases for allowing simultaneous communication betweenmultiple databases.

In another aspect of the present invention, the databases may bepositioned in a single housing or building structure. As an option, thehousing may have a reflective surface positioned therein for reflectingthe laser beam between the laser units. In one embodiment, the housingmay be equipped with a substantially hemi-spherical or sphericalconfiguration in order to allow data communication without interferencefrom various databases within the housing.

In another embodiment, the laser units may communicate the data betweenthe databases upon a rate of the communication exceeding a predeterminedamount to a single address in one of the databases. Prior to datacommunication, the laser units may be movably positioned based on alook-up table. The laser beam of the laser units may also be tracedprior to the laser units communicating the data in order to determinewhether the laser units are capable of communicating the data. If thetrace is unsuccessful, an alternate path may be determined for the laserbeam, or the data may be communicated via the network.

These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparentto those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following descriptionsof the invention and a study of the several figures of the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a plurality of interconnected databases, or servers,in accordance with the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the various components ofeach database and the manner in which data is communicated therebetween;

FIG. 3 illustrates a pair of databases that are interconnected via anetwork in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates the databases of the present invention situated in asingle housing, or building structure, in accordance with one embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate configuration for housing the databasesin order to facilitate communication therebetween via the laser units;

FIG. 6 illustrates an initial process that is executed at start-up ofeach of the databases;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart associated with a method that is executed eachtime the operating system receives a request from an application programto communicate data; and

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the method associated with initializing thethread in operation 710 of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a plurality of interconnected databases, or servers,in accordance with the prior art. As used herein, “database” and“server” will be used synonymously, it being understood that a“networked database” is essentially a “networked server” and vice versa.FIGS. 2–7 illustrate a system and method for providing datacommunication among networked databases by way of laser units that arecapable of alleviating delay often associated with conventionalnetworks. This is accomplished by coupling at least one laser unit toeach of the databases or to one or more selected databases. Inoperation, such laser units are capable of communicating data betweenthe databases via free space by way of a laser beam. This allows datacommunication at a rate faster than that which the conventional“hard-line” network is capable.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the various components ofeach database and the manner in which data is communicated therebetween.As shown, each database is equipped with an operating system 200 that iscapable of executing a plurality of application programs 202. Duringsuch execution, the application programs 202 generate data that is to becommunicated to another database. Such data is often queued in a buffer204.

Coupled to the operating system 200 is a first interface card 206adapted to allow communication of the data over a dynamicallyreconfigurable local area network (LAN) such as an Ethernet to a routerwhich may in turn communicate the data to another database over a“hard-line” network utilizing a TCP/IP or IPX protocol. Such network mayalso include free space radio transmission. In addition, the operatingsystem 200 may also be coupled to a second laser unit interface card 208which is capable of communicating the data to another database via alaser unit.

To accomplish this, the laser unit interface card 208 is equipped withan input terminal for receiving data from a receiver of the associatedlaser unit, an output terminal for transmitting data to a transmitter ofthe associated laser unit, and a control terminal for controlling thelaser unit. As will be set forth later, such control is administered bythe operating system 200 under the instruction of a detector applicationprogram 210. It should be noted that during transmission, variousprotocols such as the Diffie Hellman Protocol and Triple DES may beemployed to ensure that data is transmitted properly and securely.

FIG. 3 illustrates a pair of databases 300 that are interconnected via anetwork in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Asshown, each database 300 has at least one laser unit 302 mounted thereoneach including a transmitter 304 and a receiver 306. In one embodiment,the transmitter 304 of each laser unit 302 may extend from its end withthe receiver 306 situated thereabove.

As shown in FIG. 3, the laser beams transmitted by each transmitter 304may intercept each other during simultaneous transmission between thetransmitters 304 and the receivers 306. As is well known to those ofordinary skill, such interception does not afford any significantinterference.

In one embodiment, the laser may include a laser manufactured by TEXASINSTRUMENTS or BELL LABS, or any another type of laser capable ofcommunicating data. Such lasers are typically capable of hightransmission rates which are significantly greater than the transmissionrates of the Ethernet LAN that are commonly in the order of 10–100 Mbs.

Further, each laser unit 302 may be mounted on the associated database300 such that the laser units 302 are capable of moving with two orthree degrees of freedom, e.g. two or three degrees of rotationalfreedom. To accomplish this, each laser unit 302 may be equipped with abase 308 having a mount 310 rotatably coupled thereto about a verticalaxis. The laser unit, in turn, may be pivotally coupled to the mount 310about a horizontal axis. Flexible coiled wire 312 may then be utilizedto couple the transmitter 304 and the receiver 306 of the laser unit 302to the associated database 300. As an option, a plurality of laser units302 are mounted on each of the databases 300 for allowing simultaneouscommunication between multiple databases 300.

Each rotatable and pivotal coupling of the laser units 302 includes astep motor or the like to allow specific direction of the laser unit302. It should be noted that various other electro-mechanical traducersand specifically tailored movement algorithms may be used that arecommon in the security camera arts. Such tailored algorithms may bespecifically designed to ensure proper operation of the mechanics of thelaser unit. For example, rotation of the laser unit 302 may becontrolled to the extent that the flexible coiled wire 312 is notwrapped around laser unit 302 due to over rotation.

It should be noted that, for example, all three degrees of rotationalfreedom may be needed to achieve proper alignment between laser units302 Once the laser units have been aligned to “point” to each other(either by line of sight, reflection, optical channeling, etc.) withpitch an yaw angles, the final adjustment can be made to the roll angleof both laser units 302 such that the laser (transmitter) of one laserunit aims at the detector (receiver) of the other laser unit and viceversa.

This configuration is illustrated in FIG. 3A which has two laser units302A and 302B. By adjusting pitch and yaw, the laser units 302A and 302Bare aligned such that they share the same roll axis. Then they arerolled such that the receiver 306A of laser unit 302A is aligned withtransmitter 304B of laser unit 302B, and the transmitter 304A of laserunit 302A is aligned with receiver 306B of laser unit 302B.

FIG. 4 illustrates the databases 300 of the present invention situatedin a single housing 400, or building structure, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention. As shown, the housing 400 may beequipped with a reflective surface 402 positioned therein for reflectingthe laser beam between the laser units 302. In one embodiment, thereflective surface 402 may be positioned on a ceiling of the housing400. In such embodiment, the laser units 302 may communicate data bydirecting laser beams at the reflective surface 402 in order to avoidinterference from various mechanical structures within the housing 400including ducts, pillars, and the databases 300 themselves. Inoperation, the laser units 302 may direct laser beams at a “phantom”laser unit 404 in order to obtain the necessary reflection angle toallow data communication.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate configuration for housing the databases300 which facilitates communication via the laser units 302. As shown,the housing 400 may be equipped with a substantially hemi-spherical orspherical configuration for providing data communication withoutinterference from various databases 300 within the housing 400. In suchembodiment, an interior surface of the housing 400 may be equipped witha plurality of shelves 500 each adapted for supporting an associateddatabase 300. By this structure, a plurality of cables and/or controllines may be coupled to the databases 300 and run to a place that iseasily accessible by a user. As an option, a bulb-like laser beamemitting source may be positioned at the center of the housing 400 forcommunicating information with each of the receivers 306 of the laserunits 302 by transmitting a vast number of laser beams radially from thesource.

It should be noted that the principles disclosed herein may also beemployed in outdoor applications including data transmissions to themoon and outer space. In such applications, various measures may beemployed to prevent interference from sunlight, etc. For example, hoodsmay be retrofitted onto the laser units 302.

FIG. 6 illustrates an initial process that is executed at start-up ofeach of the databases 300. As shown, the process is started in operation600 by creating a random access memory (RAM) look-up table. Such look-uptable is capable of storing physical coordinates of the laser units 302of each of the databases 300 in terms of destinations, or IP addresses.In use, these coordinates may be used to direct the transmitters 304 andreceivers 306 of the laser units 302 in the appropriate direction duringdata communication. In one embodiment, the look-up table may be locatedin a central database with which each remaining database 300 has acommunication link.

With reference still to FIG. 6, the RAM look-up table is initialized inoperation 602. During initialization, the RAM look-up table is set toreflect that no current communications are taking place via the laserunits 302. Thereafter, in operation 604, the detector patch applicationprogram 210 is installed for working in conjunction with the operatingsystem 200 of the database 300 to monitor the rate of data communicationvia the hard-line network for reasons that will be set forthhereinafter. As will soon become apparent, the RAM look-up table isutilized to store various information that is used throughout theprocess of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart associated with a method that is executed eachtime the operating system 200 receives a request from an applicationprogram 202 to communicate data. As shown, such method begins inoperation 700 by receiving a request from the application program 200.Such request is commonly accompanied with a destination, or IP address,to which data is to be sent along with the actual data that is desiredto be sent.

As indicated in operation 702, a tally of data communication to variousIP addresses is maintained to track a current data transfer ratethereto. As an option, such tally may only be maintained for“point-to-point” IP addresses that are resident in databases 300 withinthe housing 400. To accomplish this, a hash table may be used whichincludes the IP addresses which are existent in databases 300 within thehousing 400. If the IP address is found in such hash table, the tally iscontinuously tracked. The statistics associated with the tally may takeany form including a histogram or the like. Since the statistics areaccessed frequently, they may be conveniently stored in the RAM look-uptable.

With continuing reference to FIG. 7, it is determined in decision 704 asto whether the current data transfer rate to a particular destinationhas exceeded a predetermined quantity. If not, the data is communicatedby way of the hard-line network via the Ethernet interface card 206.Note operation 706.

If, on the other hand, it is determined in decision 704 that the currentdata transfer rate to a particular destination has exceeded apredetermined quantity, it is then determined whether lasercommunication is already allocated to a destination, or whether lasercommunication is even possible due to obstacles and such. Note decision708. If laser communication is already allocated to a destination orsimply not possible for some reason, the data is communicated by thehard-line network via the Ethernet interface card 206 in operation 706.

If it is determined that laser communication is not already allocated toa destination and is feasible, a line of data communication isestablished via laser units 302 using the laser unit interface card 208by initializing a thread, as indicated in operation 710. Once the threadis initialized in operation 710, the process continues in operation 706where the operating system 200 is now aware of not only the conventionalhard-line communication with the destination, but also the communicationvia the laser units 302.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the method associated with initializing thethread in operation 710 of FIG. 7. Such initialization begins inoperation 800 by first allocating the appropriate hardware using atransaction model. In the present description, the transaction model mayinclude an Enterprise Java Bean available from SUN, and is commonlyknown to those of ordinary skill in the art. Hardware that is allocatedwould include the transmitters 304 and receivers 306 of the laser units302 involved in establishing the desired data communication link.

Next, in operation 802, proposed geometry for a new configuration iscreated. Such geometry refers to a potentially feasible path between thephysical coordinates of the appropriate laser units 302 by which thelaser beam may be directed to accomplish data communication. In order toaccomplish this task, the geometry employs a mathematical modelrepresentative of the location of the laser units 302, reflectivesurfaces 402, and obstacles in the housing 400.

With continuing reference to FIG. 8, the proposed geometry is tracedbetween the transmitters 304 and receivers 306 of the appropriate laserunits 302 in operation 804. Tracing may include “ray tracing” where itis ensured that a path is available for communicating with a receiver306 of a designated laser unit 302. This may be accomplished viaanalysis of the aforementioned mathematical model.

It is then determined in decision 806 as to whether the laser beam hitits intended target during the simulation associated with operation 804.This may be verified by transmitting verification indicators over thehard-line network. If the simulation failed, it may be determined indecision 808 whether any alternate geometries exist. If so, operation802–806 may be repeated for the alternate geometry. If not, however, aflag is set in operation 810 indicating that no data communication withthe desired destination is feasible by way of the laser units 302. Thisflag may then be stored in the RAM look-up table and utilized by theoperating system 200 in operation 708 of FIG. 7 in order to decidewhether to execute standard hard-line communication.

If, however, it is determined in decision 806 that the laser beam didindeed hit its intended target during the simulation associated withoperation 804, a geometry database is updated in operation 812 forretrieval and reuse during a subsequent transmission to thecorresponding destination. Thereafter, in operation 814, commands whichare indicative of the new geometry are sent to the appropriate laserunits 302 for alignment purposes.

The laser beam communication is then tested in operation 816. In orderto test the laser beam communication, data may be transmitted by boththe laser units 302 and the hard-line network for comparison purposes ata receiving database. This may be employed primarily for the purpose ofensuring the integrity of the proposed geometry by way of simulation.Next, the IP address tables and the RAM look-up tables are updated inoperations 818 and 820, respectively, to reflect the confirmedgeometries for later reuse.

During data transmission, the data transmission rate between the laserunits 302 may be monitored. If such data transmission rate falls belowthe predetermined amount, information may instead be transmitted via thehard-line network. This allows the laser units 302 to be redirected toestablish an enhanced data communication link with another destination.

While this invention has been described in terms of several preferredembodiments, it is contemplated that alternatives, modifications,permutations and equivalents thereof will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and study of thedrawings. It is therefore intended that the true spirit and scope of thepresent include all such alternatives, modifications, permutations andequivalents.

1. A system for accelerating data transfer between networked databases,comprising: a plurality of databases coupled by a network; and at leastone laser unit coupled to each database for communicating data betweenthe databases via free space by way of a laser beam at a rate fasterthan that which the network is capable; and a data rate monitoroperative to enable said at least one laser unit when said data ratemeets a condition wherein data communication is improved using said atleast one laser unit.
 2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein thenetwork includes a router.
 3. The system as set forth in claim 1,wherein the network is an Ethernet.
 4. The system as set forth in claim1, wherein each laser unit is mounted on the associated database.
 5. Thesystem as set forth in claim 4, wherein a plurality of laser units aremounted on each of the databases.
 6. The system as set forth in claim 4,wherein the laser units move with two degrees of freedom.
 7. The systemas set forth in claim 1, wherein each laser unit includes a transmitterand a receiver.
 8. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein thedatabases are positioned in a single housing.
 9. The system as set forthin claim 8, wherein the housing has a reflective surface positionedtherein for reflecting the laser beam between the laser units.
 10. Thesystem as set forth in claim 8, wherein the housing has a substantiallyhemispherical configuration.
 11. The system as set forth in claim 8,wherein the housing has a substantially spherical configuration.
 12. Thesystem as set forth in claim 1, wherein the laser units communicate thedata between the databases upon a rate of the communication exceeding apredetermined amount.
 13. A system for accelerating data transferbetween networked databases, comprising: a plurality of databasescoupled by a network; at least one laser unit coupled to each databasefor communicating data between the databases via free space by way of alaser beam at a rate faster than that which the network is capable; anda data rate monitor operative to enable said at least one laser unitwhen said data rate meets a condition wherein data communication isimproved using said at least one laser unit; wherein the laser unitscommunicate the data between the databases upon a rate of thecommunication exceeding a predetermined amount to a single address inone of the databases.
 14. The system as set forth in claim 1, whereinthe laser units are movably positioned into alignment prior tocommunicating.
 15. The system as set forth in claim 14, wherein thelaser units are movably positioned based on a look-up table.
 16. Asystem for accelerating data transfer between networked databases,comprising: a plurality of databases coupled by a network; at least onelaser unit coupled to each database for communicating data between thedatabases via free space by way of a laser beam at a rate faster thanthat which the network is capable; and a data rate monitor operative toenable said at least one laser unit when said data rate meets acondition wherein data communication is improved using said at least onelaser unit: wherein the laser beam of the laser units is traced prior tothe laser units communicating the data in order to determine whether thelaser units are capable of communicating the data.
 17. The system as setforth in claim 16, wherein an alternate path for the laser beam isdetermined if the trace is unsuccessful.
 18. The system as set forth inclaim 16, wherein the data is communicated via the network if the traceis unsuccessful.
 19. A multi-mode network comprising; a non-lasernetwork having a first maximum transmission rate; a laser network havinga second maximum transmission rate greater than said first maximumtransmission rate; a plurality of computing units coupled to both saidnon-laser network and said laser network; and a data switch transferringdata from said non-laser network to at least one free space laser when adata rate of said network is determined to be better handled by saidlaser network.
 20. A method for providing a multi-mode networkcomprising; sensing a data rate between a first node and a second nodethat are coupled together by both a non-laser transmission medium and afree space laser transmission medium; and switching between saidnon-laser transmission medium and said laser transmission medium basedupon said data rate.